POLICE are appealing for information following a fire in Edinburgh. Around 7.05pm on Monday, 25 May, 2026, we received a report of a fire at Arthur’s Seat.
Emergency services attended, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service remained at the scene to dampen down hot spots.
No injuries were reported.
Enquiries are ongoing alongside partners to establish the cause of the fire.
Local Area Commander Alison MacDonald said: “We know that the area around Arthur’s seat was busy last night due to the good weather and would ask that anyone with any information surrounding the cause of the fire come forwand ard and speak with officers.
“Anyone with information should call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2975 of 25 May, 2026.
“As the good weather continues, we will continue to work with our partner agencies and would encourage members of the public to stay safe and behave responsibly.”
Area Commander David Dourley is the Local Senior Officer for City of Edinburgh. He said: “At 6.50pm on Monday, 25 May, we were alerted to reports of a large grass fire on Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.
“We know many people will be wanting to enjoy the good weather, but we ask they do so responsibly. Wildfires have the potential to destroy property, landscapes and wildlife, which is why it is so important that members of the public use extreme caution under these conditions.
“Please avoid lighting outdoor fires and be mindful that one spark can spread rapidly, causing a large amount of damage.
“If you spot an outdoor fire, please report it immediately by calling 999, providing your location, and any other relevant information so we can respond quickly.”
Jamie Hamilton, Senior Ranger at Holyrood Park said; “We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to the emergency services for their quick response to this incident and would encourage anyone with any further information to come forward.
“We know that people are keen to enjoy the good weather but would ask them to remain vigilant and not to use any form of naked flame within the parameters of the park, dispose of rubbish properly, and to report anything of concern immediately.
“The High Road within the park has been closed to vehicles, and we would ask visitors to continue to follow guidance from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and avoid the affected areas.”
Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce has supported over 1,300 arrests for retail crime offences since it launched in April last year.
The dedicated unit was established following an initial £3m funding allocation from the Scottish Government to address a rise in retail offences, including shoplifting and assault of retail workers.
In its first 12 months of operation, the Taskforce’s four-strand approach to prevent, pursue, protect and prepare has resulted in over 6,400 charges for retail crime, with the detection rate having risen to just under 51%, compared with 49% the previous year.
Despite successes in improving detection rates, increasing arrest numbers and enhancing retailer confidence in reporting incidents to police, Scotland continues to experience an ongoing rise in retail crime, with theft by shoplifting offences having risen by 19% in comparison with last year.
To address this, the Taskforce will continue to work alongside local policing divisions and a range of key partners and stakeholders to improve security on-site for retail premises, enhance the safety of retail workers and use all resources at their disposal to undertake effective enforcement activity against retail crime offenders.
In addition, dedicated Taskforce resources are now in place within Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Tayside to ensure areas most adversely affected by retail crime are being fully supported.
Earlier this year, the Scottish Government announced and additional £9m in funding to Police Scotland to tackle retail crime over the next three years, meaning the Retail Crime Taskforce will operate until at least 2029.
Year two for the Retail Crime Taskforce will see significant changes to the way that retail premises can report crime to police, through the use of an online reporting form to directly report incidents of shop theft.
This form was developed by Police Scotland’s Contact, Command and Control Division and allows retailers to report incidents where a shoplifting has occurred and there is no ongoing threat or risk to safety.
Not only will this reduce the time businesses need to wait for reporting a crime, it will also assist in reducing demand on call handling, allowing for priority calls to be better serviced.
Inspector Emma Wright, Tactical Lead for the Retail Crime Taskforce, said: “There have been successes across the country in the first 12 months of the Taskforce as part of our ongoing efforts to tackle retail crime.
“The efforts of the unit and work carried out by local divisions has resulted in a significant number of detections of both shoplifting offences and offences against retail workers.
“While we continue to see an increase in the number of shopliftings reported, there are indications that this is in part due to an increased confidence in reporting from retailers and the resulting police response.
“The additional three years of funding received from the Scottish Government will enable us to continue our efforts to reduce shoplifting and provide support and education to businesses across the country.
“We want to thank retailers for their continued support and engagement as we collaboratively tackle the issue of retail crime.
“We cannot and will not become complacent and we recognise that further work is needed to reduce the number of offences occurring across Scotland. We take these offences extremely seriously and through continued partnership working we strive to make our communities a hostile environment for retail crime offenders.”
POLICE are appealing for information after a damaged vehicle was seen travelling on the A68 near Pathhead.
Around 9.35am on Saturday, 23 May, police received a report of a white Renault Clio travelling south on the A68 with damage to the front passenger side and no tyre on the front passenger side wheel.
The vehicle was later traced abandoned near the village of Crichton and enquiries have established it had previously crashed on the A6106 near a service station outside Dalkeith around 9.20am.
Constable Stewart Logan said: “Our enquiries are ongoing and I would appeal to anyone who saw the vehicle, or who witnessed the crash, to contact police.
“I would also ask anyone with dash-cam footage from the area around the time to check their footage and pass on anything of note to us.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland, quoting incident number 1240 of 23 May, 2026.
A 41-year-old man has been jailed for organised crime and drug offences. William Byrne was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh today (Monday, 25 May, 2026).
At the same court on Wednesday, 15 April, 2026, he pleaded guilty to being involved in serious and organised crime.
Byrne was arrested in Portugal in October 2025 and later arrested and charged in connection with serious and organised crime offences on 25 November 2025 as part of a joint partnership with the National Crime Agency.
Detective Chief Inspector Laura Sands, said: “I hope this sentencing sends a message to those involved in serious and organised crime and drugs that you will be caught and you will face the consequences.
“Byrne’s involvement in this type of crime spanned across Europe and we worked with international partners, alongside law enforcement agencies in the UK and abroad, to ensure Byrne could be held accountable for his leading part in a sophisticated criminal enterprise, bringing drugs into our country with no regard for the harm and misery they cause.
“There is no place for this type of criminality in our communities and we will continue to work with partner agencies to tackle this and make our communities safer.”
Alan O’Brien, Branch Commander for the NCA in Scotland, said: “William Byrne is a dangerous criminal, working internationally with the aim of flooding Scotland with lethal drugs.
“The NCA worked closely with our law enforcement colleagues overseas and Police Scotland to track Byrne down and return him to the UK to face justice for his crimes.
“We will continue to work with partners to protect the public from serious and organised criminals like Byrne who cause harm to our local communities.”
POLICE are appealing after a woman was struck by a tram on Leith Walk at 8.50am tthis morning (Sunday 24 May), near the Scotmid store between Albert Street and Pilrig Street.
Road policing officers are appealing for information.
Emergency services attended and the 19-year-old woman was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with serious injuries.
No one else was injured.
The road remains closed while crash investigation work is carried out.
Sergeant Michael Thomson said: “Our enquires are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are asking anyone who can help who has not already spoken to officers to get in touch.
“If you can assist please calls us on 101, quoting incident number 1043 of Sunday, 24 May, 2026.”
Drugs worth an estimated £325,000 have been recovered following the search of a property in South Edinburgh.
Officers searched an address in the West Powburn area around 6.25pm on Thursday, 21 May, 2026 and discovered a large quantity of Diamorphine.
A 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection and enquiries are ongoing.
Detective Sergeant Callum Mill said: “Drugs cause misery in communities and we work tirelessly every day to prevent them being circulated on our streets.
“We are committed to addressing the concerns of local people and information from the public is vital to helping us tackle this type of harmful criminality.
“If you have information or concerns about drugs activity in your area please contact Police Scotland on 101 or speak to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
POLICE have released an image of a man they believe may be able to assist with their investigation into a serious assault in Edinburgh.
The incident occurred around 2.30am on Sunday, 12 April, 2026, outside a nightclub in Niddry Street when a man was seriously assaulted.
Officers are keen to speak to the man in the image as he could hold vital information which could assist their enquiries. He is described as aged between 25 and 35 years old, with a medium build and short, dark hair. He was wearing a green-coloured long sleeve top and gilet, blue jeans and black and white trainers.
Detective Constable Mark Richmond said: “I would appeal to anyone who has any information about the incident or if you recognise the man in the image, please get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 4130 of 12 April, 2026. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where information can be given
Over 50,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized in a multi-agency day of action in Glasgow.
Following concerns raised by the community, officers from the local problem-solving team at Cathcart Police Office were joined by partners from Trading Standards and the Home Office on Tuesday, 19 May, 2026.
Several shops in the Govanhill area were visited, and a total of 51,000 illegal cigarettes with a street value of around £47,000 were discovered, with the help of specialist search dogs Boo and Rosie from Trading Standards.
Fines were issued and enquiries are ongoing.
Sergeant Gary Phillips said: “We will continue to work closely with our partners to target areas of concern and stop the illegal sale of counterfeit goods.
“This day of action highlights our commitment to protecting the public, supporting lawful traders, and taking action against those involved in criminality.
“If you have information regarding those involved in the supply of illegal cigarettes and tobacco then contact Police Scotland on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Police Scotland has been urged to review staffing levels at one of the country’s busiest police custody centres.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) carried out a joint inspection of the police custody centre at St Leonards Police Station, in Edinburgh.
Staff at the custody centre described it as ‘significantly understaffed’ and told inspectors that gaps in staffing levels meant the care provided to detainees was not to the standard they would like to see, or that detainees deserve.
Inspectors found that staffing pressures could compromise the completion of routine tasks including the provision of showers for detainees and time spent with them.
Local policing officers taking detainees to the custody centre said there were rarely enough custody staff available to run the three charge bars at the police station.
They said this commonly resulted in queues of arresting officers with their detainees and had a knock-on impact on operational policing as officers remained delayed at St Leonards rather than returning to frontline policing.
HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, Craig Naylor, said: “HMICS and HIS have now jointly inspected ten police custody centres across Scotland, and during this latest inspection we identified a number of issues that we have previously highlighted elsewhere – including issues around staffing levels.
“We recently made a recommendation to Police Scotland that they examine staffing levels and make arrangements to ensure that appropriate staff resource is in place to maintain safe and effective custody centre operations.
“While we have not repeated this recommendation, it has relevance for the St Leonards custody centre.
“Consideration should be given to reviewing the rationale for the existing staffing model to ensure it remains suitable and fit for purpose.”
Inspectors said the national custody staff model which is used by Police Scotland – with one sergeant and one staff member per ten detainees – did not meet the needs of such a busy custody centre.
St Leonards has 34 cells and serves as the main police custody centre for Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian.
Records show 7,157 people were held in custody at St Leonards police station during 2024-2025.[1]
Staff reported limited ability to take breaks.
They also highlighted challenges associated with sickness absence, delays in body armour provision that restricted the deployment of new members of the custody team, and with some staff being on restricted duties which meant they were unable to assist at the charge bar.
Limited management visibility was also raised by staff, with some expressing concern that Police Scotland was not responding effectively to pressures within the custody environment.
HMICS and HIS inspectors visited the St Leonards custody centre in September last year, as part of their review to assess the treatment of, and conditions for, any individuals being detained.
The joint review found child detainees who were brought to St Leonards custody centre were managed appropriately, with none placed in cells and the longest detention period under five hours.
Inspectors said this was a significant improvement from previous inspections.
However, the inspection found there were issues around the recording of information on the National Custody System, including details relating to wellbeing observations of detainees, their meals, healthcare interactions, care planning and legal rights.
Care plans and handovers were found to routinely lack case-specific details, while records frequently relied on ‘generic, copy-and-paste entries’ which diminished their value.
The inspection team said the physical condition of the custody cells at St Leonards was good, but they identified safety and operational concerns related to the recent addition of a new detainee holding room opposite the charge bar area.
The report said the narrow layout often resulted in congestion when accommodating multiple detainees and their escorting officers.
Inspectors stated: “Staff described incidents since the opening of this facility in which disorderly or incapacitated detainees obstructed exit routes, leading to unwanted physical contact and, on one occasion, a physical assault on a member of staff who was rendering assistance.”
Inspectors also found that while the recently upgraded charge bar facilities were bright and spacious, the layout resulted in limited confidentially during detainee processing, with conversations audible to others.
The joint custody report made 10 recommendations for improvement, including a number of healthcare-specific recommendations addressing infection prevention and control, training and the management of medicines.
The recommendations were directed at both Police Scotland and NHS Lothian who provides healthcare services in the custody centre.
[1] The number of arrested persons includes individuals who have appeared in custody on more than one occasion within the reporting period.
